Frases

checks and balances

Counterbalancing influences by which an organization or system is regulated, typically those ensuring that power in political institutions is not concentrated in the hands of particular individuals or groups.

Origen

Middle English (originally as used in the game of chess): the noun and exclamation from Old Frencheschec, from medieval Latinscaccus, via Arabic from Persianšāh 'king'; the verb from Old Frencheschequier 'play chess, put in check'. The sense 'stop or control' arose from the use in chess, and led (in the late 17th century) to 'examine the accuracy of'.

Chess has given the word check its oldest meanings. It came into English via Old French eschec from Persian šāh ‘king’ (the origin of shah, as in the Shah of Iran), and was first used by chess players to announce that the opponent's king had been placed under attack. From there the meaning gradually broadened to ‘to stop, restrain, or control’ and ‘to examine the accuracy of’. A squared pattern is described as checked or a check (Late Middle English) because of the appearance of a chessboard. Checkmate derives from Persian šāh māt, ‘the king is dead’. Chess (Middle English) itself came into English during the 12th century from Old French eschec, or rather its plural form, esches, but probably goes back ultimately to the ancient Indian language Sanskrit. The game seems to have begun in India or China around the 6th century ad and to have been adopted in Persia, spreading to the West through the Arabs. The game was popular in medieval England. See also exchequer.

Origen

Chess has given the word check its oldest meanings. It came into English via Old French eschec from Persian šāh ‘king’ (the origin of shah, as in the Shah of Iran), and was first used by chess players to announce that the opponent's king had been placed under attack. From there the meaning gradually broadened to ‘to stop, restrain, or control’ and ‘to examine the accuracy of’. A squared pattern is described as checked or a check (Late Middle English) because of the appearance of a chessboard. Checkmate derives from Persian šāh māt, ‘the king is dead’. Chess (Middle English) itself came into English during the 12th century from Old French eschec, or rather its plural form, esches, but probably goes back ultimately to the ancient Indian language Sanskrit. The game seems to have begun in India or China around the 6th century ad and to have been adopted in Persia, spreading to the West through the Arabs. The game was popular in medieval England. See also exchequer.